Who is HE?

This video was shown at the end of Pastor Robs sermon a few weeks ago and it has really struck with me. IT is from a conference message from a man named SM Lockridge. Apparently, the SM stands for Shadrach Meshach from Daniel 1-3. It is from the 70’s and apparently no actual video exists from the message, just the audio.

 

Give it a chance and let me know what you think.

 

 

 

 

Casey

2 Corinthians 9:15

Memorial Day

So, I want to say this with all due respect to living Veterans, and Ive spoken with many of them, enough to know that many 100% agree with the statement Im about to make.

 

Memorial Day is not designated to thank all those who have served our country. We should be doing that everyday anyway and they have Veterans Day as their national Holiday. Memorial Day is to remember those who have given their lives in service to our Country.

This weekend is not about BBQs, camping, shopping, fishing, remember loved ones who have passed (again, should be doing this everyday). I say once again:

Memorial day is about those who have died for our country.

To those I know that have served, you all know friends, fellow service members, etc. who didn’t come back. All of you out there, if you do  ot know someone who gave their life for your freedom, then you know someone who served with someone who did. If the veterans out there are willing and able to talk about them, ask them abut those friends who gave the ultimate sacrifice.

 

This weekend is about their memory.

 

 

 

 

The Holencik Family

 

Ephesians 6:12

 

Great Quote

This is a great quote that God had me “accidentally stumble across this evening…

“The job description of the preacher, in other words, is not to say many different things but to say the same thing over and over again in many different ways. We have one main message to declare: “Christ and him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2).”

Tullian Tchividjian (Grandson of Billy Graham)

 

Casey

Romans 1:16

Farm fresh food! Coming Soon!

So every spare moment we have had this week has been spent getting our garden tilled, and planted. I havent measured it, but Hope estimates that it is roughly 10 ft by 30 ft. We are planting garlic, green onions, different herbs, lettuces, cucumbers, potatoes, and, because its me, hot peppers.

 

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We have not been able to do a garden in previous years because of our apartments. Not that we were in apartments, but the one we were in did not receive direct sunlight and the few things we tried to plant did not work out (with the exception of rosemary, that did wonderful!).

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This year, because of where we are the biggest problem is going to be making sure the deer dont eat it all before we do! I can not wait for it to grow and the fresh foods and the canning and all of it! Im sure we will be sharing pictures of it as it is coming along.

 

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Casey

James 1:17

Mens Bible Study this week

Testing of Your Faith Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

(James 1:2-8 ESV)

Casey

Romans 5:3

Prepping for my next Sermon

So Im am prepping to do my next sermon on May 18th and I will be preaching on the Parable of the Good Samaritan. I will post the passage here from Luke 10:25-37. What do you take from this? I want to hear the obvious as well as the deeper, not so obvious…

The Parable of the Good Samaritan And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.” But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’ Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.” (Luke 10:25-37 ESV)

Casey

Welcome Back Baseball….

Its the greatest time of year. Spring Training is over. The smell of freshly cut grass and hotdogs and peanuts are in the year. Every team has a chance, Its opening Day.

But withe baseball (FINALLY!!!!) back, I thought I would share some wonderful quotes (mostly the same as last year, but I hope to add some more throughout the day) and a video at the end that gives me goose bumps every time I watch it. Do you have nay great quotes to add? I’d love to hear them in the comments section below.

You gotta be a man to play baseball for a living, but you gotta have a lot of little boy in you.- Roy Campanella

It breaks your heart. It is designed to break your heart. The game begins in spring, when everything else begins again, and it blossoms in the summer, filling the afternoons and evenings, and then as soon as the chill rains come, it stops and leaves you to face the fall alone. ~A. Bartlett Giamatti, “The Green Fields of the Mind,” Yale Alumni Magazine, November 1977

You see, you spend a good piece of your life gripping a baseball, and in the end it turns out that it was the other way around all the time. ~Jim Bouton, Ball Four, 1970

“Character, Courage, Loyalty.”

Little League Motto

One of the beautiful things about baseball is that every once in a while you come into a situation where you want to, and where you have to, reach down and prove something- Nolan Ryan

Don’t tell me about the world. Not today. It’s springtime and they’re knocking baseball around fields where the grass is damp and green in the morning and the kids are trying to hit the curve ball. ~Pete Hamill

That’s the true harbinger of spring, not crocuses or swallows returning to Capistrano, but the sound of a bat on a ball. ~Bill Veeck, 1976

People ask me what I do in winter when there’s no baseball. I’ll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring. ~Rogers Hornsby

Baseball is beautiful….the supreme performing art. It combines in perfect harmony the magnificent features of ballet, drama, art, and ingenuity.-Commissioner Bowie Kuhn

 

 

 

Casey

Proverbs 16:3

What Lent is and is not

What Lent is and what it is not

                There is a lot of confusion out there about what Lent is and what it is not. This is my attempt to clarify things. First, Lent is not mentioned in the Bible. It is an extra biblical tradition, and if done with the right heart, one of the best ones, in my opinion.

What it is not: Lent is not a time to change yourself, though it may have that effect. It is not a time to change the world, though we should be trying to do that. It is not a way to prove how good of a Christian or how disciplined you are. It is not a way to earn righteousness or favor with God.

What Lent is: Lent is primarily about remembering Jesus sacrifice for us. It combines two sacrifices he made, with one obviously infinitely more important than the other.  Jesus, while preparing for his ministry, spent 40 days in the wilderness, fasting and praying. At the end of the 40 days, Jesus was able to refute the temptations that Satan provide him with. This is where we get the 40 days of Lent.

But Jesus also sacrificed his body and his life to defeat sin and death and so that we would have the opportunity for eternal salvation. Jesus gave the ultimate sacrifice. He died on Good Friday and was raised up on Easter Sunday. This date is the most important date in the history of the worlds and is one of joyous celebration for Christians around the world. We end the period of Lent on Easter Sunday as a celebration that Jesus sacrifices was completed and successful.

The reason to practice Lent: Lent is intended to be a way for us to remember how hard the sacrifice was that Jesus made. We have a tendency to take for granted the historical fact that Jesus died on the cross and was raised from the dead. We forget just how much of an effect this has on us. Lent is a way for us to get closer to God, to align ourselves with God’s will and most importantly, to remember the ultimate sacrifice that was made on our behalf.

How to practice Lent: These are just going to be some principals on how to implement this so as not become legalistic. It is meant to give some ideas, not to be a rule book or a checklist. If you give up something that you purchase, such as Starbucks, or ice cream, use the money you would spend and donate it to a charity or to your church. When you give this money over, remember 2 things; first, it was not your money anyway. God gave it to you and now you are giving some back. Second, the money and the coffee you are sacrificing is nothing compared to the sacrifice that Jesus gave in our place. If you are giving up a hobby or a meal or something that takes time, take the time that you would be eating lunch and use it to study the Word, or pray.

Again, the point of Lent is to remember the ultimate sacrifice that Jesus Christ, who is God, came down from heaven as a man, lived a perfect life, committed no sin, died on the cross to pay the price for our sin, and rose from the dead to defeat Satan, sin and death. Live this and celebrate this.

Casey

Hebrews 10:1-18

Active Faith, and Holy Spirit convictions

So here is the follow up to my sermon on Genesis 13. This ism y sermon on Genesis 14! Its names you can never pronounce, more than you ever thought you would hear about Melchizedek and learning that people cant change before they meet Jesus, they need Jesus in order to change.

Thanks ahead of time for the feedback!

 

 

 

Casey

Proverbs 8:1-11

Godly wisdom vs Earthly Wisdom

So this past Sunday, February 23rd, I preached on Genesis 13, where Abram and Lot went there separate ways. Im pretty proud of the content, even though i can find many critiques about my delivery. What feedback do you all have?

 

Casey

Matthew 6:25-34